Spaghetti Western Info

Pop Art

A Brief History of Pop Art

Pop art started in the USA during the earlier period of the 1960's. But it was already making its presence felt in the late fifties. Pop art was basically an art movement which aimed to replace the abstract mode of artistic expression with messages that are easier to understand. The pioneers of this art movement were Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. The boom of this art movement or phenomenon mainly happened in New York City. The initiators of Pop art believed that the metaphysical complexities of abstract art are already out of tune as times and people had become different. As its followers believed in the power of easy to recognize images of common items, pop art introduced new objects such as flags, maps and targets or stuffed animals and rubber tires on paintings. Irony, sarcasm, and mockery were the favorite aspects of this art movement. Pop art in many ways was a form of rebellion to the dictates of traditional expressionism. According to pop art, confining ourselves to the old rules of the arts can make us stagnant as they fit only with the old era.

Some of the known advocates of this new artistic movement were Claes Oldenburg, James Rosenquist Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. They shocked the painting world with their works that courageously introduced pop culture symbols such as comic strips, advertisements, and media images. Pop art was not just a far cry from the traditional rules on visual expression. It was in itself a slap in the face to the dictates of abstract painting style. Because the public could easily relate to its features, pop art gained the appreciation and support of many art critic groups. But in spite of that traditional abstract expressionism continued to flourish as it is the respected root of classic art. As they say, nothing beats the original. As pop art maintained its mockery activities, it did not reduce the popularity of abstract expressionism.

As abstract expressionism prevailed, pop art also continued to make its presence felt. The rivalry between these two styles resulted in the establishment of two new schools of abstraction: minimalist art and color-field painting. Minimalist art reduced art to its bare elements in reaction to the flamboyance of abstract expressionism. Frequently criticized for being too unapproachable, minimalist art has also been celebrated for its unprecedented immediacy. It attains this immediacy through abstract form, absence of decorative detail, and emphasis on geometry. On the other hand, color-field artists moved toward a more impersonal and austerely intellectual aesthetic. In their works they dealt with what they considered to be the fundamental formal elements of abstract painting. These elements are pure, unmodulated areas of color, flat and two-dimensional space, monumental scale, and the varying shape of the canvas itself.

Pop art and abstract expressionism engaged in a somewhat bitter rivalry in the American sixties. These two artistic styles struggled to get hold of the public's support. While abstract expressionism tried to keep its old tradition and rules, pop art considered its rival an elitist approach that influenced America's consumer society.

About the Author

Mark Traston is an associate with Portrait Painting. The company specializes in turning a photo to painting. Each portrait artist specializes in a specific area including wedding paintings, baby portraits, and executive portraits.

Los Angeles Pop Art Men's 'Brooklyn' Hoodie $37.99 A collection of treasured neighborhoods in Brooklyn make up the word image on the front of this T-shirt from Los Angeles Pop Art.

Los Angeles Pop Art Women's Headphones Hoodie $28.19 The top 63 genres of music are transformed into the image of headphones on this sweatshirt from Los Angeles Pop Art.

Los Angeles Pop Art Women's Pi Hoodie $27.99 The first 100 digits of Pi form the image on the front of this Los Angeles Pop Art hoodie for women.

Los Angeles Pop Art 'Marine' Men's Hoodie $39.99 Show your support for the Marines with Los Angeles Pop Art hooded sweatshirtMen's apparel has a US Marine Corps design created using the Marines' hymn lyricsComfortable hoodie is perfect for almost any occasion

Los Angeles Pop Art Women's Marine Hoodie $32.49 Words from Marines' famous hymn are used to create the emblem on the front of this Los Angeles Pop Art sweatshirt for women.

Los Angeles Pop Art 'Texas' Apron $17.99 The art on this 'Texas' apron from Los Angeles Pop Art was created using the names of the largest cities in the state.

Los Angeles Pop Art Women's 'Brooklyn' Hoodie $32.99 Some of Brooklyn's most popular neighborhoods form the word image on this hoodie from Los Angeles Pop Art.

Los Angeles Pop Art 'Tiki' Apron $17.99 The art on this 'Tiki' apron from Los Angeles Pop Art was created using of the words 'Big Kahuna.'

Los Angeles Pop Art Men's 'Banzai' Hoodie $34.99 Lyrics from the Japanese national anthem form the image of the recreated flag on this hoodie from Los Angeles Pop Art.

Los Angeles Pop Art Men's 'Banzai' T-shirt $19.99 Lyrics from the Japanese national anthem form the image of the recreated flag on this T-shirt from Los Angeles Pop Art.

Los Angeles Pop Art Men's College Hoodie $33.99 This hoodie from Los Angeles Pop Art features the word College created out of the most popular drinking games. Long sleeves and a classic pouch pocket complete this comfy, stylish hoodie sweatshirt.

Los Angeles Pop Art Women's Navy Hoodie $29.99 Lyrics from the Navy's unofficial song, Anchors Aweigh, form an anchor image on the front of this Los Angeles Pop Art hoodie for women.

Los Angeles Pop Art Men's Alien Hoodie $33.99 The alien image is created from the famous words 'I come in peace' on the front of this hooded sweatshirt from LA Pop Art. This hoodie is fashioned with a front pouch pocket.

Los Angeles Pop Art Men's Spade Hoodie $33.99 The spade image on the front of this Los Angeles Pop Art hoodie is made up of winning poker hands. Crafted in a soft cotton blend, this lucky sweatshirt comes will be a new favorite.

Los Angeles Pop Art Men's Yoga Hoodie $35.49 Make a statement about the serene life with this Los Angeles Pop Art men's hoodieMen's top features a yoga motifHoodie's logo features a stylized yoga practitioner

Art Pop $12.49 Art Pop

Pop Art $159 Pop Art

Pop Art Mole $10 Pop Art Mole

Pop Goes Art $9.49 Pop Goes Art

The Sound Of Pop Art $6.49 The Sound Of Pop Art

Pop Art Tee $19.95 Lenny Kravitz Pop Art Tee

Pop Art Baby Doll $19.95 Lenny Kravitz Pop Art Baby Doll

Wolverine: Pop Splash Art Beanie $14.99 Wolverine: Pop Splash Art Beanie.

The Beatles Pop Art Puzzle $18.99 THE BEATLES POP ART PUZZLE 1000 PIECE PUZZLE 20 INCHES X 27 INCHES

P22 PoP Art Comic $20 Download the P22 PoP Art Comic font for Mac or Windows in OpenType, TrueType or PostScript format.

P22 PoP Art Extras $20 Download the P22 PoP Art Extras font for Mac or Windows in OpenType, TrueType or PostScript format.

P22 PoP Art Stencil $20 Download the P22 PoP Art Stencil font for Mac or Windows in OpenType, TrueType or PostScript format.

White Pop Art Ring $55 Perfect for both casual and formal looks, this white pop art ring is a great accessory. Faceted turquoise crystals surrounded with gold plated accents cover the white top of the piece. The adjustable ring mimics a spectacular pop art design.

Introduction to Pop Art